Sliding clasp fasteners



June 13, 1967' F.MULKA 3,324,523

SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS Filed July 13, 1964 3 Sheets5heet l June 13, 1967 F. MULKA 3,324,523

' SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS I Filed July 13, 1964 5 $heetsSheet. 3

R w unmml w 3,324,523 SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS Friedrich Mulka, Mallinckrodtstr. 17, Paderborn, Germany Filed July 13, I964, Ser. No. 382,055 Claims priority, application Germany, July 15, 1963, M 57,494 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-407) This invention relates to fasteners used for joining together edges of webs of materials. The invention refers more particularly to fasteners which are adapted to join together webs of materials in an air-tight, water-tight and dust-tight relationship.

The joining together of webs by means of fastener elements which are opened and closed by a slide fastener is Well known. Fasteners are also known which are provided with spaced fastening clamps, these clamps being drawn over beaded upstanding edges of two webs so that these two webs are held together at suitably spaced points. Constructions of both types of these fasteners are known which tend to resist penetration by air, water and dust.

An object of the present invention is to improve these prior art constructions through the provision of a fastener which establishes a tight seal between the webs.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In the accomplishment of the objectives of the present invention it was found desirable to provide a fastener of the type wherein fastening clamps are drawn over beaded edges of the webs and are joined by means of a slider.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a section on the line I-I of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line IIII of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 3 shows a side view of a sliding clasp fastener with the slider sectioned approximately in the middle.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the slider shown in FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow H shown in FIG. 3.

Two tapes 1 of rubber or similar material, which are produced by injection moulding or die pressing are lined with inextensible tapes 2 in order to prevent stretching. Members 3 grip the beading shown at 4 and 5, and are thus firmly fixed on the tapes 1.

The slide members 3 are clamped together by clamps 6. Claws 6 (see FIGURES 1 and 2) on the clamps 6 hold the clamps 6 so that they cannot lift off or slide upwards.

If the tapes 1 are stretched and pulled apart, i.e. to the right and left as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the members 3 are tipped closer to the claws 6 in a somewhat downward direction over the claws. Sealing lips 9 on the tapes 1 are thus pushed together and the seal of the sliding clasp fastener is thereby increased. This is an important feature of the invention.

The clamps 6 are held at suitable distances along and on the tape 2, as shown in FIGURE 3, by means of the beading 8.

When the sliding clasp fastener is closed and opened by means of the slider 7, as shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, the members 3 are somewhat pressed together by inwardly pointing hook portions 7 (FIGURE 2). The hook portions 7 pass into the positions 7 acting in the manner of wedges. This position is also shown by the reference numeral 7 in FIGURE 3. This pressing together releases the hook portions 6 and the clamps 6 are thus able to move without hindrance. Sloping rails '7 on the slider 7 push the clamps 6 upwards or downwarls. When the hook portions 7 leave the members 3 and the clamps 6 are in the raised position, the tapes 1 are no longer clamped and the sliding clasp fastener is open.

3,324,523 Patented June 13, 1967 rm w l There is no need of a wedge-strut such as is provided in most types of sliding clasp fastener.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 the left hand tape 2 has a bent portion 8 In order to ensure that this bend is reliably effected at this point the perforations 8 shown in FIG- URE 2 are provided. When the tape 2 consists of fibreless plastics material the perforations 8 are preferably latticed.

The free spaces 9 in the tapes 1 (FIGURES 1 and 2) facilitate the passage of the hook portions 7 into the positions 7 which has already been mentioned.

The sliding clasp fastener according to the present invention has the advantage of simplicity and inexpensiveness when compared with sliding clasp fasteners resisting penetration of air, water and dust as hitherto known. It has, however, another special advantage. All types of sliding clasp fasteners with inter-engaging fastener elements open throughout their length if only one member is damaged and is thus disengaged. The sliding clasp fastener according to the present invention does not open when the closing seam is damaged in one or more places.

The clasp fastener of the present invention is opened and closed in the following manner:

When the fastener is in the sealed position shown in FIG. 1, and the member 7 is moved over it (for example in the direction toward the left in FIG. 3) the portions 7 will press the members 3 inwardly sufficiently so that the claws 6 of the clamping member 6 are no longer retained by the members 3. As the member 7 is moved along the fastener, the individual short clamp members 6 will be raised by the inclined track 7 out of the plane in which the claws 6 could reengage the recesses in members 3. Then the fastener assumes the position shown in FIG. 2. Then the slide member 6 is no longer clamping the members 3 together and the two webs can be separated. In the illustrated construction the clamp member 6 is still attached to the left hand web member by means of the tape 8 and thus it cannot become loose.

The webs 1 are provided with spaces 9 at their common edge 9. These spaces aid in permitting the inward deformation of the web members so that the portions 7 of the slider can press the members 3 inwardly in the manner which has just been described.

In FIGURE 3 it can be seen that the closure tapes 1 are also held together in a sealed manner along the sectioned line II--II through the portion 7 of the slider. The stresses of the tape 1 pulling them to the left or right cause the members 3 to tip about the rounded portion 7 so that the sealing lips are pressed closer together at 9 At the left hand side of FIGURE 1 is shown a portion 10. When the clamps 6 are made of inexpensive flexible material, the portions 10, operating in the manner of wedges, push the opened clamps 6 together in the lower position. In inexpensive sliding clasp fasteners of this type it is unnecessary for the clamps 6 to be connected to the tape 2 by means of the portions 8 of said tape. The portion 8 may be a separate tape which is independently inserted in the slider and carries the opened clamps 6.

What I claim is:

I. A clasp fastener for joining two webs at abutting edges thereof comprising:

(a) an upstanding portion on each of said two abutting edges, said two upstading portions being in facing relationship and being adapted to mate sealingly together;

(b) at least one outer member secured to each of said upstanding portions on the side thereof remote from said other upstanding portion, said outer member having a recess, and

(c) a plurality of clamping members adapted to fit over said abutting edges and said outer members adapted to clamp said Webs together, said clamping members being spaced along the length ,of said fastener;

(d) said clamping members being joined to one another by a flexible connecting member, said flexible connecting member also being connected to one of said webs;

(e) said clamping members also having claws adapted to fit into said recesses to retain said clamping member in clamping position.

2. A clasp fastener as described in claim 1 including a slider member in which each outer member is provided adjacent its bottom with a groove adapted to guide said slider member, said grooves being so positioned that pressure exerted by said slider member therein will cause movement of said outer members towards one another and consequent release of said claws from said recesses.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,770 2/ 1891 Davis. 2,355,816 8/1944 Morner 24--207 2,651,091 9/1953 Priestley 24205.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 557,418 11/1943 Great Britain. 709,898 6/1954 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLASP FASTENER FOR JOINING TWO WEBS AT ABUTTING EDGES THEREOF COMPRISING: (A) AN UPSTANDING PORTION ON EACH OF SAID TWO ABUTTING EDGES, SAID TWO UPSTANDING PORTIONS BEING IN FACING RELATIONSHIP AND BEING ADAPTED TO MATE SEALINGLY TOGETHER; (B) AT LEAST ONE OUTER MEMBER SECURED TO EACH OF SAID UPSTANDING PORTIONS ON THE SIDE THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID OTHER UPSTANDING PORTION, SAID OUTER MEMBER HAVING A RECESS, AND (C) A PLURALITY OF CLAMPING MEMBERS ADAPTED TO FIT OVER SAID ABUTTING EDGES AND SAID OUTER MEMBERS ADAPTED TO CLAMP SAID WEBS TOGETHER, SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS BEING SPACED ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID FASTENER; (D) SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS BEING JOINED TO ONE ANOTHER BY A FLEXIBLE CONNECTING MEMBER, SAID FLEXIBLE CONNECTING MEMBER ALSO BEING CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID WEBS; (E) SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS ALSO HAVING CLAWS ADAPTED TO FIT INTO SAID RECESSES TO RETAIN SAID CLAMPING MEMBER IN CLAMPING POSITION. 